Airport Worker Sucked in, Killed by Plane Engine

August 16, 2024

An Iranian aircraft mechanic was killed at Chabahar Konarak airport in southern Iran when he was sucked into a Boeing 737’s engine during a test. The mechanic, Abolfazl Amiri, had carried out preventive and regular services on the Boeing 737-500 of domestic Varesh Airline on July 3.

He walked away, but then realized he had left behind one of his tools and walked back to retrieve it. At that point, others started up the engine for a test and Amiri was sucked into the engine and immediately killed. As per safety rules, a safety area had been established around the engine to prevent accidents.

However, Amiri, had not left the area when he turned around. Such accidents are not unheard of. In 2022, at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama, A baggage handler, identified as 34-year-old Courtney Edwards, was killed after being sucked into the engine of an American Airlines plane. A ground agent for Piedmont Airlines, she had reportedly been repeatedly warned to stay back from the engines.

 Last year, in another such case, a 27-year-old airport employee died after being sucked into the engine of a Delta Airlines plane in San Antonio, Texas.